How to Make Homemade Croutons

Crispy Croutons--So tasty, they are good enough to eat on their own but are perfect in salads.

Crispy and spicy. | Source

Why Make Homemade Croutons?

I visited a restaurant in the Platzl in Kimberly, B.C. and sampled some of their homemade croutons. Oh my! I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! They were unlike any croutons I had ever tasted and a far cry from the small, hard, packaged variety one buys in a store.

Anyway, back to the tasty, buttery, crispy, and large croutons that were served as part of a smorgasbord in that German restaurant and that I couldn't quit nibbling on. I had seen them in a container and lifted out a spoonful, wondering what they would be like. As soon as I bit into that first one, I knew I'd be going back for seconds.They had that perfect blend of slightly greasy and crunchy.

As I sat and ate my dinner, I kept wondering how the restaurant chefs had produced these wonderful creations, and I knew that when I got back home, first thing, I was going to try to replicate them in my home kitchen. I also knew that if I could make croutons that tasted this good, I would never go back to the store-bought kind.

It goes without saying that when someone makes their own croutons, they control what goes into them, but better still, croutons made in a home kitchen offer a completely different taste and texture--a superior taste and texture. Made with real butter, seasonings, and fried or baked until they are crispy and golden brown, these delicious morsels are hard to beat.

If you are intrigues by what you've read so far, rest assured, croutons aren't hard to make and they can be made in just minutes. So, if you want a delicious salad topper, read on for how to make your own delicious croutons.

Crouton Ingredients

Certainly, croutons would be good just fried in butter till crispy, but adding seasonings truly enhances their flavor.

2-21/2 cups of diced white bread (preferably homemade). Make sure to cut in even 1/2" cubes. (Homemade tends to be thicker than store-bought white bread.)

1/2 butter. (If you add more butter, your croutons will have even more flavor and become crispier as they gently fry in the pan on low heat). It takes experimenting to get the type of crouton you prefer, so don't be afraid to play around until you get the perfect crouton.)

Garlic powder or crushed garlic (if using fresh crushed garlic, add this about halfway through, so that the little pieces don't burn and turn bitter.)

Parsley (If you don't have this on hand, no worries. It adds a nice color but isn't essential to your croutons.)

Dill (If you have either fresh or dried dill, this adds to the flavor.)

Parmesan (This is a little "extra" you can add in when you have it on hand.)

Italian Croutons

If you have a good Italian spice blend, you may choose to add some of this in, as well.

How to Make Homemade Croutons

1. Melt butter in a saucepan.

3. Add bread cubes and gently stir until coated with butter.

4. Sprinkle seasonings over and stir.

5. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Keep frying and turning frequently until your croutons are browned and crispy. You may wish to use a metal utensil to flip croutons over, so they brown on all sides.

If using crushed garlic, fry croutons on low heat until they are just starting to turn golden. Add 1-2 cloves of crushed garlic and stir with a wooden spoon. Keep frying and turning frequently until your croutons are browned and crispy. Watch to make sure garlic doesn't burn.

Allow croutons to cool. They become crispier as they sit.

Serving Tip

Place croutons on top of salad, right before serving. Do not toss croutons in with salad ingredients as they will absorb salad dressing and become soggy.

Want Even Crispier Croutons?

Another way to make these is to place bread cubes in a bowl and drizzle melted butter over, stirring and drizzling until cubes are evenly coated. Sprinkle in seasonings gradually and stir gently until cubes are coated.

Finish your croutons by placing on a large cookie sheet and cooking in a moderate oven for about 10 minutes. If using this method, keep a close eye on croutons and flip over, so all sides brown.

Oven-Baked Homemade Croutons

Dill and parsley dress up these crispy croutons | Source

Crouton Making--Tips

The best croutons are made from homemade white bread, French bread or Italian bread.

Use a sharp knife so that bread doesn't tear and become ragged.

If preferred, cut off crusts before cutting croutons.

Stack bread and carefully cut into 1/2" cubes.

While croutons can be made in a frying pan, they become crispier by cooking in the oven.

Serving Tip

While homemade croutons are lovely with Caesar salad, because they are so flavorful, they can also be used to garnish green salads.

Step-by-Step

The video below gives an excellent step-by-step tutorial for making croutons. He uses a combo of butter and olive oil.

How to Make Croutons

Savor the Flavor Tip

If you are short on salad veggies and want to dress up a plain salad, use homemade croutons to add extra flavor and crunch.

So Worth it to Make Your Own Croutons

It is well worth it to take a few minutes to make homemade croutons. The flavor is unparalleled and these have such a pleasing buttery, crispy texture. Make them first, they will crisp up as they cool, make your salad, top with your croutons, then enjoy!

Comments

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Athlyn Green 16 months agofrom West Kootenays

Nurseleah, thank you!

Janell, thanks, as well.

Leah Wells-Marshburn 4 years agofrom West Virginia

Athlyn, your croutons look AMAZING! You did a great job on those. I bet they are buttery and delicious. I love making my own croutons, and you are absolutely right--the store bought ones don't even compare.